CONTRACT SPECIALIST
Department: Department of the Air Force
Location(s): Los Angeles County, California
Salary Range: $104349 - $161313 Per Year
Job Summary: To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here. For additional information on other USSF direct hire opportunities visit the Air Force Civilian Careers Space Force website and follow USSF on LinkedIn.
Major Duties:
- The United States Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) at Los Angeles Air Force Base is searching for a Contract Specialist (NH-1102-03, GS 12/13 equivalent). Description: Space Systems Command (SSC) is the epicenter of acquisition excellence for the U.S. Space Force, responsible for acquiring and developing cutting-edge military space systems. From GPS and military satellite communications to space launch and missile warning systems, SSC's portfolio is critical to national security and global operations. Be a part of a team that's pushing the boundaries of innovation and shaping the future of space capabilities. As a Contract Specialist at SSC, you will play a vital role in acquiring highly specialized research and development capabilities for our nation's critical space programs. This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to high-impact, multi-million-dollar contracts that directly support the U.S. Space Force mission. As an integral member of a skilled team of contracting professionals, you will serve as a trusted business advisor and subject matter expert to program managers and senior leaders. In this role, you will conduct acquisition planning and develop contractual strategies to support specific program elements, ensuring alignment with mission objectives and regulatory requirements. This includes managing all phases of the contract lifecycle by soliciting, analyzing, evaluating, and negotiating contractor proposals for complex, large-scale, long-term contracts from solicitation through closeout. You will also provide guidance on a wide range of procurement-related topics, including future requirements, documentation, and issue resolution. We are seeking a highly motivated and results-oriented individual who is proactive, solution-oriented, and comfortable thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player with a proven ability to work with diverse teams and stakeholders to achieve common goals. The ideal candidate will be forward-thinking, solution-oriented, agile, a team player, proactive, and have good research and interpretation skills. The candidate will have five or more years' contracting experience and the standard of systems level desired and hold a bachelor's degree. Knowledge of contracting principles, policies and procedures, business practices and market conditions applicable. Knowledge of Government and agency-specific guidelines and business practices, including statutes, regulations, policies and procedures that cover different contract types. The ideal candidate will have skill in applying contract price/cost analysis techniques to a variety of pre-award and/or post-award procurement actions and will have a limited warrant. Key Skills and Abilities: 1. Professional knowledge of a wide range of Federal contracting laws, regulations, policies, procedures, methods, techniques, and contract types applicable to pre-award and post-award actions for a variety of complex contracts for unique services, commodities, and/or construction. 2. Knowledge of the business environment (e.g. economic trends, awareness of commercial business practices, standards, mergers, and acquisitions, etc.) to recognize potential programmatic/contractual impacts, and knowledge of the methods and techniques of fact-finding/market research. 3. Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools used to assist in risk identification, assessment, and mitigation including assessing the probability and consequences of potential problems. 4. Knowledge of contract negotiation, administration, and termination principles, policies, procedures, and technical requirements; and knowledge of price and cost analysis sufficient to review proposals against previous history, actual and estimated expenditures, and established rates to determine price reasonableness or to determine a negotiation position. 5. Ability to identify problems, determine accuracy and relevance of information, use sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and make recommendations; makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions applying precedents found in government contracting case law to specific contracting situations to insure that legally binding contracting officer decisions are consistent, justifiable, and will be upheld at appellate courts or boards; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals. 6. Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and with technical accuracy, both orally and in writing, and use computers and a variety of software programs and databases, gather and analyze a variety of program information, make sound judgments concerning program progress, and effectively communicate recommendations orally and in writing to higher organizational management and contractors.
Qualifications: The 1102 series has an individual occupational requirement that must be met and can be viewed here. There is no Group Coverage Qualification Standard for this series.
How to Apply: To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here.
Application Deadline: 2026-01-21